Ilkay Gundogan admits the siren call of coaching is ringing in his ears but he’s not quite ready to hang up his boots.
Much to Pep Guardiola’s delight, the decorated Manchester City midfielder has returned to top form in the closing weeks of the Premier League champions' troubled campaign.
And in the process he has earned himself an extra year at the Etihad Stadium – should he choose to exercise it.
With fellow ‘captains’ and team cornerstones Kevin De Bruyne and Kyle Walker seemingly certain to depart in the summer, Guardiola will need an on-the-field coach and a wise head in the dressing room for his summer rebuild. Gundogan fits the bill perfectly.
The 34-year-old German international has more than 600 appearances under his belt, the vast majority of them in the English, German and Spanish top divisions. He has 82 caps for this country, has appeared at three European championships, two World Cups and won six league titles and a Champions League during a stellar career.
But resting on those considerable achievements is not on his mind as he admits there is plenty of unfinished business to take care of at City before he makes any decisions about what his long term future looks like.
The treble winning captain’s focus is on clinching a top five berth in the Premier League and lifting the FA Cup for a third time – he has a happy history at Wembley having scored the quickest goal in FA Cup final history with his 12 second strike against Manchester United in the 2023 decider.
“The current battle we are in is the same as when we were fighting with Liverpool and Arsenal for the title,” Gundogan told The National. “We just have to focus on the way we perform and the standards we set ourselves.
“We have a target to qualify for the UCL next season and to do that we have to perform at the highest level and win matches.
“We know our own capabilities and we know what the team is capable of, and for the majority of this season we have been below those expectations. We have to see the reality of our situation and just try to be the best version of ourselves that we can be.
“It’s not just about talent at this point, it is about character and behaviour. It is about how you behave not just in games but on the training pitch and outside the field. It is about how hard you work to get that decisive bit of luck to go your way.
“Since the international break we have done OK. We showed character to win games at Bournemouth and again against Palace when we were 2-0 down.
“I feel like we just need to maintain these standards and I am certain we will qualify for the Champions League next season and we will also have a chance to win the FA Cup.”
Gundogan’s recent upturn has seen him start the last five matches in succession, and of the outfield players only Josko Gvardiol has played more minutes this season.
“The Gundo here and the Gundo at Bournemouth, Leicester – that’s the Gundo I remember,” reflected Guardiola after the 5-2 defeat of Palace. “The one that helped us win the treble and was such an important player. His defensive intelligence, the way he arrives, it helps us massively. As a team, everyone has been down and below their best. But when a team plays good, the individual levels rise.”
Guardiola will be hoping Gundogan can maintain that level throughout the remainder of the season and in the early part of the summer when they travel to the United States to defend their Club World Cup crown.
After that, who knows. Gundogan will play as long as possible, but at some point wants to emulate Guardiola.
It’s not fanciful to imagine the German sliding into the Catalan’s coaching set up when he’s done. Gundogan already has his coaching B licence and admits that side of the game has a lure for him.
“I want to continue coaching and I want to progress in that field but it is something that isn’t possible right now because of playing,” he said. “I have the B licence and next I have to do the A licence and then the Pro. I have previously worked with City’s under 16s and I really enjoyed it. I have worked under some amazing coaches and they inspire you.
“I have had the privilege of working with Pep for several years, it is automatically something I think about and consider for the future. When I look at Pep I see a man with a lot of ideas who tries to take care of every little detail of the game. A man dedicated to finding solutions, who questions himself and everything.
“In terms of character I am similar. I question myself a lot and always try to see what I can personally do better not just for me but the team and the whole club in general.
“Being part of City for so many years I can see myself coaching in the future and of course I love football way too much to stay out of it once my playing career is over.
“I always tell myself I could become a really good coach if I have the guts to do it and the energy and stamina to go for it in the long run. But I know also that it is a lot of work when I see Pep and our coaching staff and the working hours they put in. It is much more than a player. It’s a workload you need to accept and be comfortable with.
“I took the first steps to see if it was something that would interest me and so far it has.”
